Violet
I blinked, processing the information. Am I her? No, and I was certainly no ex of a Lycan Prince. I would rather take a swim in my own vomit than get myself involved with such a person. “Stop bothering her, Amy,” the other girl with the braids, Trinity, spoke up. She gave me a welcoming smile, her eyes much softer and kinder than Amy’s sharp, piercing gaze. “Chrystal has red hair, remember?” I touched my blonde locks self-consciously, noticing the pink-haired girl's face soften. Then I closed the door behind me. “I’m Violet, nice to meet you.” “Hi, Violet,” Trinity stepped forward, helping me with my suitcases. “Chrystal is a Lycan of noble blood, her Dad is the beta of the Lycan King of the kingdom of Lupyria, and she’s our roommate. I’m in here, Chrystal there, Amy in there—and this is your room," she said, pointing and leading the way. So our other roommate was of noble blood, living in the biggest of the three Lycan kingdoms, no big deal. Another blow to my confidence, just what I needed. I scanned the room with my eyes as Trinity placed my stuff by the bed. “Here you go, and you’re welcome,” she said. “Thanks.” The room was mid-sized, and still empty besides a double bed, an empty window and a small walk-in closet. "We have to share a public bathroom. It’s on the first floor,” Trinity explained. Amy joined us, leaning against the door frame. "Don’t you think that’s disgusting though? I mean, I don’t want someone to give me, like… green toes?" Trinity chuckled. "Oh, you mean athlete’s foot?" I jumped in. Trinity and Amy exchanged a look, then turned back to me. "Tinea pedis? Fungal infection?" I elaborated, only to get even more confused looks in return. "Never mind—anyway, it’s nice to meet you, and I hope we’ll get along," I switched up quickly, making a mental note to avoid saying anything too nerdy around anyone. My brother, Dylan, would occasionally tell me to stop being such a smart ass and that it made me ten times more unlikeable. He was the biggest nerd in existence so coming from him, it must’ve meant something. “Quick question, are we all going to the Starlight Festival tonight?” Trinity beamed, wiggling her brows playfully. Nope. I turned to unpack my stuff, pretending not to hear. The Starlight Festival was held in the woods just outside the school gates. It always took place on a full moon to welcome new students, and was especially a hot event among unmated werewolves who were desperate to find their mate. The thought of being connected to someone, only to lose them, terrified me. The feeling I felt after losing my parents was one I never wanted to feel ever again. "We should go. Everyone is going to be there—and I heard tons of students find their mate there," Amy said. My stomach twisted with anxiety. I really didn’t want to go, but I also didn’t want to be that one person who only came to the academy to study although that was the truth. I wanted to fit in but also wanted to stay true to myself, but I guess the one thing I truly wanted was to be different from the Violet back home. "Have you guys found your mates yet?" Amy asked. "No—Violet?" Trinity answered, and I looked at her, slowly shaking my head. "So, you’ll be coming with us then?" "I’ll sit this one out. Besides, I don’t even have a dress for that," I said, hoping that would end the conversation. "So? I’ll let you borrow something," Trinity offered immediately. I knew she didn’t have any bad intentions as she had been kind to me from the start. She just couldn’t take a hint. I felt trapped, knowing if I would decline, it would set the tone for my relationship with my roommates for the entire four years. Besides, it was just one night. What's the worst that could happen? "That’s nice of you—thanks!" I said, forcing a smile. Trinity clapped her hands, smiling, then bumped Amy’s shoulder. "See? Problem solved." Amy chuckled, folding her arms. It was silent for a moment before Trinity opened another topic. “So what do your parents do?” I blinked, caught off guard by the question. Just as with Nate, this was supposed to be the moment where I would usually say my parents were dead—only I didn’t. Again. Trinity answered her own question, "My dad is an Alpha, Amy’s dad is a Beta—" “Mine is also an Alpha!” I announced before she could say anything else. Now that she got her answer, I desperately hoped she would shift the topic. Amy slightly rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, same old—everyone here comes from status. Anyway, where is Chrystal?" From the moment I had met her, she had almost seemed obsessed with Chrystal. All she could talk about was that Lycan girl. "I’m sure we’ll meet her soon. She’s probably with Kylan and Nate,” Trinity said. "Nate? From the student council?" I asked, surprised. Amy’s eyes lit up. "Have you met him? He’s Chrystal’s twin brother and Kylan’s future Beta." I nodded, remembering the handsome guy from earlier. So he was a Lycan, a future Beta of noble blood—and my roommate’s brother. "Can you imagine? The Beta to the future Lycan King? Maybe he is my mate," Amy sang, and the two girls giggled. “I’m not counting on it to be the Lycan Prince, but I’ll take the second best.” My face paled as I slowly put two and two together. The guy who had called me four-eyes was indeed royally. He was that Lycan Prince they were gushing over. That’s why Nate had called him ‘the Prince’. I decided right then and there to stay away from him. If he could bully me after bumping into me, I didn’t even want to know what kind of damage he could do without facing any consequences. He was a Lycan, after all—ten times stronger, ten times faster. "We should go—the RD is expecting us in ten minutes," Trinity spoke, glancing on her phone. "What for?" "She’s giving us a tour," Amy replied. “Then we should probably head out.” ~ As we reached the main hall in the healer’s building, a large group of freshmen were already waiting and talking among themselves. Esther, the woman who had introduced herself earlier, stood on a platform. The second I entered the room, her gaze landed on mine and she gave me a friendly nod, which I returned. I was waiting for her to turn away, but she never did. For some reason, Esther kept staring at me. I squinted my eyes, cracking my brains over the reason. "Look, that’s Chrystal!" Amy nudged my shoulder, and I turned away, following her eyes. They landed on a gorgeous tan girl with long, straight red hair, standing with a group of girls. Chrystal was dressed in a short pink tennis skirt and a pink top, by the looks of it expensive. Just by one look, it was clear she hadn’t been in the dorm to welcome us because she had her own crowd and standards. She had probably already decided her roommates were not good enough for her without getting the chance to get to know any of us. Her energy was completely different from her brother, Nate, who looked so kind and approachable. "I’ll go and say hi. I’ll see you guys later!" Amy said before walking off toward Chrystal. Trinity chuckled as we watched her tap Chrystal’s back, attempting start a conversation. "And then there were two.” "Don’t you want to meet her?" I asked, genuinely curious. Trinity pulled a disgusted face, shaking her head. "She might be of noble blood, but that doesn’t mean she can treat us like trash. If she really wanted to meet us, she would’ve been at the dorms." I smiled, agreeing with Trinity. "Yeah, you’re right. It’s nice to meet someone who sees things the same way." "Attention!" Esther called out. The voices in the hall slowly faded as everyone turned to look at her. "Welcome, everyone, to Starlight Academy. I’m Esther, your Resident Director, and one of the Grand Masters in healing. It’s my pleasure to welcome you to what I hope will be the best four years in your life." Everyone around me clapped, so I awkwardly joined in. "Starlight Academy is a place where you will learn, grow, and build life-long friendships—and I know many of you are nervous," Esther continued, making eye contact with me. I looked away. "But I want you to know my office is always open, no matter what." Trinity whispered, "They always say that but never keep their word." I giggled, once again agreeing with her. It was always like that. They had everyone’s backs until someone’s family couldn’t pay the f*e anymore. "Now if you’ll all follow me," Esther instructed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Amy walking with Chrystal. It looked like Chrystal had taken her under her wing, which made sense given Amy’s excitement about meeting her. Esther led us on a full campus tour, explaining that this week would be about exploring and learning the basic rules. We weren’t allowed to spend the night in the male dorms, there was a strong curfew meaning no leaving the dorms after ten, no unauthorized shifting or any other kind of use of power, and especially no fighting unless it was on the training grounds with a teacher present. Three strikes, and you’re out. "I might as well have applied for prison," Trinity muttered, making me laugh as we walked with a few more freshman we had made along the way. The tour ended in the academic hall. "Look around some more, enjoy your week—and I will leave you girls to it," Esther said. Everyone thanked her in unison, but once again her eyes were on me. I still wondered what her deal was, why she seemed to be paying me so much attention. After she was out of sight, I tried to join the conversation with the girls, but they were already in it too deep. "He literally just walked past us. Apparently, he’s a sophomore CSL major," one of the girls said excitedly. "CS-what?" I asked, feeling lost. "Combat Strategy and Leadership? They’re talking about the Lycan Prince again," Trinity explained. "Ah…” The topic wasn’t all that interesting to me. All everyone seemed to be talking about was that damn Lycan Prince. The conversation continued without me, and it bored me so much, I felt a sudden urge to pee. "Does anyone know where the restroom is?" I asked. Trinity pointed in a direction. "I think it’s that way—do you want me to go with you?" "No, I’ll manage. Thanks!” Following Trinity’s instructions, I eventually stood in front of two closed doors with unclear symbols. “Sure, why not?” I mumbled, trying to make a decision. One looked vaguely like a dress, so I guessed that one was for women. As I entered the restroom, I saw it was empty and headed for one of the stalls. After finishing my business, I went to sink, rubbing the soap between my palms before washing it off. But as I turned off the tap, I heard a sound from around the corner. My heart skipped a beat. How had I missed a whole part of the restroom? Curious, but more so fearful because I knew I had screwed up—I peeked around the corner, seeing exactly what I had been expecting to see. To my horror, I saw urinals, and a guy with his back turned against me, zipping up his jeans. I swallowed my breath, panicking, and I knew I had to leave quietly before he noticed me. Carefully, I took a step back, only for my foot to hit the bin, followed by the sound of a loud clatter. Shit. The guy turned around swiftly, his expression tense and his jaw clenched. My stomach dropped. Even though this was the first time I had seen his face, I recognized his build immediately. It was the Lycan Prince, Kylan, and he was walking toward me with a gaze so cold, it could kill. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as he stepped closer, and closer—until he stood in front of me, leaving no more than a few inches between us. Nervously, I bit my bottom lip, dreading whatever would come out of this. I was so embarrassed, the sound of my own heartbeat echoed in my eardrums. The prince’s eyes bore into mine, and he looked pissed. I was frozen, my mind blank, unsure of what to do or say next.VioletHis face shifted from an angry gaze to a smirk, then back to furious as he stood in front of me, the Lycan Prince.I felt as if I couldn’t breathe, unsure if it was from the complete embarrassment of walking into the male restroom or from his intimidating presence as he hovered over me.He was tall, with jet-black hair that framed his chiseled face perfectly. His eyes were almost as dark as his hair, beautiful and terrifying. My eyes wandered to his lips which were tightly pressed together, almost as if he were holding back a comment or perhaps a laugh."Lost, four-eyes?" he said, calling me by that same nickname he had called me before. His voice was low and deep.I was still frozen, staring up at him as no words were able to leave my mouth. This was humiliating.I stammered. "I-I think I made a mistake.”Kylan scoffed. "You think? Or you know? Because it seems pretty obvious to me.”That’s it. I was not going to argue with this guy.I rolled my eyes, trying to leave, but he b
Violet“Don’t just stand here. Let’s go!” Trinity grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the dance floor, where most of the students were.I tugged at the hem of my dress, nearly falling over. “Are you sure I look okay?” I spoke over the loud music.Trinity grabbed two drinks from a passing tray, handing me one. “Of course you do. You look hot,” she shouted.I let out a sigh, disagreeing as my eyes scanned the crowd. I didn’t feel hot—I felt stupid and out of place. All these girls looked good because they had the confidence to go with it.Trinity wrapped her arms around my neck and swayed from side to side, forcing me to move with her.“There you go!” she said, and I gave her a small smirk in return.A loud, exaggerated laugh pierced through the music. I looked to the side to see where it was coming from, and it was no one other than our roommate who was more so like a ghost—Chrystal.She was standing with Kylan, Nate and Amy. A weird feeling went through my body as my gaze fell on the
Kylan“Ky,” Chrystal moaned into my ears as she reached her peak. Her body trembled beneath me, nails dug into my back, hard enough to leave marks.I waited for a while before I rolled off her with a disappointed sigh. It didn’t feel satisfying, not in the way it should have—and it was all because of…her.Chrystal had the audacity to place her hand on my chest and started tracing circles with her fingers. “That was amazing,” she whispered.For you.She leaned closer to kiss my cheek, but I could avoid it just in time. I rolled my eyes, pushing her away as I got out of bed. Our business was done here, and so was any desire to stay here with her."Why can’t you just stay with me for once?" Chrystal asked, her voice a little frustrated. “Like you used to.”I ignored her, scanning my messy room. Only, it wasn’t my mess—it was Chrystal’s. Her clothes, her makeup were all scattered around the room and it made me think that perhaps I had made her too comfortable. We weren’t together anymore.
Violet“Somebody please kill me!” I groaned, burying my head in my pillow. Classes hadn’t even officially started yet—and I was already exhausted.How was I even supposed to focus after everything that happened last week?Many had said finding your mate would be magical, like something out of a fairytale. Your mate was supposed to be your soulmate—but mine? Mine was a mate from the lowest pit of hell.He was disgusting, scum—cold-hearted.First, he kissed me, then told me to stay away, and then he followed me back to my dorm. None of it made any sense.Each time I closed my eyes, all I could see were flashes of Kylan’s lip on mine and I hated it.As if things couldn’t get any worse, all the girls could talk about was how he had been sleeping with Chrystal, and that the two would be getting back together.I didn’t mind. Couldn’t give two shits actually—but Lumia was heartbroken.I hated him with every bone in my body, and when I saw him in the hall, I could see it in his eyes. He felt
Violet“Amazing,” Esther said, making me look up to meet her eyes. “This is a junior-level skill. We don’t expect freshmen to heal more than ten.”Unsure of how to answer, I managed to give her an appreciative smile. From the corner of my eye, I caught Chrystal’s eyes shooting daggers in my direction.If it wasn’t for Esther urging everyone to take a seat again, I had no idea what she might’ve done to me.“Violet,” the woman spoke as everyone sat back down. “Please come visit me after class. There’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”The rest of the class was mostly theory, and after an hour the bell rang. Students began to gather their things, but I waited, just as Esther had told me to.Chrystal who had been glaring at me for well over an hour, now stood at my table with her minions. Knowing I wouldn’t be able to stop whatever she had planned for me, I looked up to meet her gaze.“Yes?” I asked.Chrystal chuckled, rolling her eyes. “I wasn’t even talking to her,” she said to t
Violet“I wasn’t ignoring you, I was just…” I stopped explaining myself to Nate as he raised a brow. He wasn’t stupid. Of course he knew I was ignoring him.“Why are you hiding over here?” he asked, eating a piece of vegetable from his plate.I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m not hiding.”“When you sit at a table by yourself in a corner, behind a giant plant,” he said, pointing to the ridiculously large pot, “you’re definitely hiding.”I laughed, staring into his curious, brown eyes. There was something about Nate that made him easy to talk to. He wasn’t scary, overconfident or judgmental like the other Lycans.He was just…normal.“So, how is your first day of school going?” Nate asked, popping another vegetable into his mouth. “Already thinking about running for the gates?”“If only they would open them,” I cracked a smile.Nate grinned. “Well, from what I’m hearing, you’re not doing too bad. First day, and you’re already scheduled for a trial day with the Elite Team?”I looked at hi
Violet“What do you want?” his voice was full of irritation.I found myself struggling to maintain my focus. It was hard to do so when with his bare chest and the hard lines of his abs right in front of me, on display.“I-ı need to talk to you,” I said, forcing myself to stand my ground. Deep down, I was freaking out. This guy had humiliated me a few times too many. Who said he wasn’t going to do it again?Kylan stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest. He led me past, then kicked the door close with his legs.Don’t look at his abs, don’t look at his abs. “About?”“About…”I gave myself a tour of his room, anything to distract me from this mess. The room was dark, with red accents. Against the wall was a king sized bed. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve said he was a vampire.“I don’t have all night, four-eyes,” Kylan clicked his tongue, impatiently.My lips trembled as I tried to focus on his face—but it was too difficult. I hated myself for the thought, but all I wanted
KylanIf there was one thing I refused to lose, it had to be control—and at the moment I had none.Fuck.It was all because of her.My head throbbed from the lack of sleep I managed to get last night. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was her. Four-eyes.Her bold behavior, her piercing blue eyes, that stupid look on her face when she thought she could walk into my room and reject me. Me?I panicked and did what I had to do—so I kissed her. Again.It was all to show her I had the upper hand, and she did not.Not even close.But that small kiss turned into something unforgettable, and now I wanted more. Those soft lips had only strengthened my pull toward her, and I felt disgusted. I knew what that kiss in the woods had done to me, and still…I wasn’t supposed to want her, and it wasn’t really me that wanted her—it was the beast.I knew it was the beast because I couldn’t care for anything or anyone other than my people. Growing up, the king always told me a mate was supposed
Year 3Adelaide‘The Veil, also known as a special portal that can only be created by the eyes of a Seer. Once such a portal is opened…’Before I could read further, I felt a firm hand on my shoulder. A gasp left my mouth before I slammed the book shut.Knowing who the hand belonged to, I quickly turned around, facing Alaric, who stood behind me with a grin on his face.“What’s with the look?” he chuckled, leaning down to kiss the side of my neck. I flinched, feeling his lips on the same spot where he had marked me last year. After making up every reason as to why it wouldn’t be a good idea, I came to the conclusion that there really wasn’t one.Maybe one—and that reason was Mom. An argument with Mom during the semester break had eventually pushed me to do it, and I did not regret my decision.As far as Mom and Esther were concerned, I was still preparing her chosen vessel—feeding him darkness—but that wasn’t true. I mostly spent my days in the library, desperately searching for a way
Adelaide“Don’t roll your eyes at me, Adelaide,” Mom snapped. For some reason, she always seemed to have an extra set of eyes in the back of her head.I sighed, dropping my gaze. “I’m sorry, Mom.”“What did I tell you about looking down?” she said, making me snap my head back up again.Now forced to meet her eyes, I couldn’t do anything else but look at the woman in front of me. The monster who birthed me…People often said we looked alike. We had the same long dark hair, the same brown eyes—but that’s also where the similarity ended. While I wasn’t usually looking for friends, I had the ability to be warm and approachable. But that woman was like a fucking block of ice.There was no heart, no feelings—nothing. It was too odd, even for a witch.“Come here,” she commanded, and I could tell it wasn’t up for debate.I gulped as I stepped out of the bed, wearing nothing but my oversized sweatshirt that barely covered my panties. Even though she told me not to, my eyes dropped to the floor
Adelaide Weeks had passed since Alaric and I had decided to give this mate thing a try, and somehow—he kept surprising me day by day. Even now, as he made me tremble beneath him in his dorm room. The stuttering prince who had rocked my world in more ways than one. “Alaric…” a moan escaped my lips as I threw my head back. My arms wrapped tightly around him as he moved against me, occasionally letting out a grunt. He moved his lips to my jawline, brushing against the spot he had been paying the most attention to. “Let me mark you, Addy,” he murmured, almost pleading. “No,” I breathed. This wasn’t the first time he had asked, and I knew it wouldn’t be the last. He had a clear mission, and each time he whispered those words, it became harder to say no. He felt so good filling me up, and his touch had become an addiction to the point I feared one day I would lose control and say yes. But I couldn’t… I couldn’t allow myself to be too connected to him—not without knowing what the fut
AdelaideAlaric stared at me with a calm smile on his face. “If this is the length I have to go to talk to you,” he said, “then no, I don’t get tired of myself, Addy.”I gasped in disbelief as his lips curled even more, and he kept staring at me like I was the only thing that mattered to him in that moment.“No guards—not even one?” I asked, raising an eyebrow as I quickly scanned my surroundings. He went from a dozen to two, to none. Quite the achievement.He shook his head. “I got my voice back because of you,” he said, tapping my thigh for a second. “Told the king enough is enough.”I fluttered my eyes, surprised by the confidence in his tone. Even though I had encouraged him to do it, he had done something I had struggled with my entire life—rebel against his overbearing parent.Every time I thought I could see right through the guy, there was something new to unpack.“Why did you follow me?” I asked, crossing my arms. The question came with attitude, but it was only because I did
AdelaideThe next day, I stood outside James’ door. I had decided not to wait any longer and was going to end things with him today. Even though I knew it was the right thing to do, it definitely didn’t make it any easier.I knocked, and within seconds, the door opened. James greeted me with the same big smile as always.“What’s up, Addy?” he said, closing the door behind him. For a moment, I felt bad again. James was always so positive and amazing. How could I do this to someone like him?He leaned in to kiss me, but I turned my head just in time, letting his lips land on my cheek instead.“Hey,” I greeted.“Hey?” He pulled back, furrowing his brow for a split second, but just as quickly, he brushed it off like it was nothing.He simply slung his arm over my shoulder as usual, and we began walking.“Take me to the woods,” I instructed.“Whatever you want,” James shrugged, not questioning my words whatsoever.If I was going to end things with him, I at least wanted to do it the proper
Adelaide“I’m here to keep an eye on my mate,” Alaric whispered back, leaning back in his chair like he owned the place. “I need to protect you.”Protect me from what? He was the one who needed the protection.“If you hate me that much, just pretend like I’m not here,” he shot me a bold wink, and that’s when I knew this guy was going to be a big problem.~That night at the dorm, I paced back and forth in the kitchen—thinking about the boy who was messing with my head.What was he on about, talking about how he had to keep his eyes on his mate? He had completely lost it.I bit my nails, trying to come up with the best solution to get rid of my not-so-little problem—but I didn’t know what to do anymore. I was trying to protect him, to keep him safe from me—but he was like a plague. He was unavoidable, always came back.Yet, a part of me was happy to see him, happy to see that he was ready to fight for me.No one ever had.Not even Grandpa Aelius when Mom made me leave our home.A huff
AdelaideJames had his arm wrapped around my waist as we entered the classroom for Elite training. He always held me close, like he was proud to show me off—but at times like this, I hated it.Times when Jane couldn’t stop glaring at me…She always had that same look on her face, like she wanted to burn a hole through me—and I couldn’t blame her for feeling the way she did. She believed in mates, and she believed he was hers. In her eyes, I took what belonged to hers.I glanced at James, who was too calm and didn’t seem to care or notice. At times, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was nothing more than an act.How was he not longing for her? Falling apart? Wasn’t that the way of their Moon Goddess?Before I could try to understand, Elyx appeared out of nowhere and stole me away from James, pulling me into a tight hug.“Addy!” he called out.“Lixie!” I said back, throwing my arms around him.When I pulled away, I kissed his cheek, and he smiled ear to ear. The longer I spent around him
Adelaide“Smile!” the photographer called out.I wrapped my arms around Claire, pulling her closer, and gave my best smile for the camera. It was the best I could do. After all, this group picture would be hanging on the walls of Lunar Hall. The bright flash went off, and for a split second, his face appeared in my mind—Alaric.I blinked, trying to shake the thought away. His personality, his presence…there was something unique about him that I had never seen before in anyone. His glow, his kindness, his innocence—and Mom wanted me to destroy that.It had already been a few weeks since I’d last seen him, and I had been doing everything I could to avoid him. Honestly, it wasn’t that difficult. Alaric was mostly surrounded by guards, and even if he wasn’t—I was sure he’d respectfully just stay out of my way.Maybe I was insane, but I wanted to be around him—and at the same time, I knew I couldn’t because I had to protect him.Every time he was near, I could sense it somehow. It didn’t m
AdelaideIt was early—too early for anyone to be up, but I didn’t care. I found myself knocking on Esther’s office door, waiting for her to open up.I hadn’t closed a single eye. How could I?All I could think about was that vision, and it played in my head over and over again.The way Alaric turned into that thing…I knew we were dark witches, but had Mom completely lost it? Was she actually attempting to bring back Lord Baelor, the same god of the underworld I had called a myth?The chaos that would cause would be impossible to fix, especially if he would have access to Alaric’s wolf on top of all.Even though she took her time, the door eventually creaked open, revealing Esther. She stood there with a calm smile. “Good morning, Adelaide,” she said. “You’re up bright and early.”I didn’t have time for her crap, not today. Just like last night, I forced myself into the office before taking an uninvited seat at her desk.Esther sighed softly, mumbling something under her breath as she